Producer Spotlights

For many New Yorkers, autumn is intricately lined with the delightful crunch of biting into the first apple of the season. Not only is the crop our official state fruit, but New York is the second largest apple growing state in the country, as well as the top craft hard cider producer, and is home to some of the highest quality apple growers in the world, like NYS Grown & Certified producer Samascott Orchards of Kinderhook, NY.

The Samascott family has been farming since the late 1800’s, when owner Jake Samascott’s great grandfather started farming to feed his family. In its early years, the 180-acre property was originally focused on dairy products, but over the course of the nineteenth century, the property expanded both in its size and its offerings, and by 1970, the farm grown to the 1,000-acre property it remains today and shifted its focus from dairy to apples.

Today, the fourth generation of Samascott owners have expanded even further, growing dozens of different types of fruits and vegetables – including hardy kiwis, a sweeter, smaller, fuzz-free varietal – and even raise over 100 black and red Angus cows on our land, though they no longer do any milking. Still, at the heart of Samascott’s is apples, producing around 50,000 bushels annually and offer over 100 varieties. Some of Jake’s favorites are Ashmeads Kernel, Crimsoncrisp, Evercrisp, and Sweet Maia, but with over 100 varieties to choose from and more coming in every year, it’s hard to definitively pick a favorite!

The farm has been a proud member of NYS Grown & Certified since 2021, which means that they adhere to a higher standard of environmental stewardship by enrolling in the Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) program. As a fourth generation farm, preserving the land that provides has always been deeply rooted in the Samascott’s business philosophy. Through diversity, crop rotation and integrated pest management, they are able to minimize necessary inputs. Additionally, they are working on strengthening riparian buffers to protect the quality of the region’s waterways, as well as expanding pollinator habitats on their property.

Additionally, the Samascotts have spent the last twenty years growing and establishing their farm store, which has helped them establish strong ties to their community. To owner Jake Samascott, an important tenet of the family’s business model is prioritizing taste over yield, and encourages customers new and old to try before they buy. There’s no doubt this customer-centered approach shines through, as does the family’s focus on fostering a strong sense of community in the many local events they take part in, such as participating in Ag Day at their local school, hosting farm tours for many local groups, offering pick your own on the farm, and connecting one-on-one with customers at farmers markets.

When asked about his favorite part about being a New York apple grower, Jake’s answer spoke to his family’s powerful legacy of hard work and commitment to feeding a community:

“I’m thrilled to carry on the fourth-generation tradition of growing and producing delicious heathy food for his family and neighbors.”